strategy

More people get hung up on implementing their strategy than at any other stage in changing directions. It’s the moment of truth, the point at which we move past talking and planning into actually doing. We should be able to move ahead when we have a clear direction, but sometimes our progress gets blocked.

Common Blocks to Change

Here are the top most common blocks to change:

Fear – can you commit with confidence to making the changes you want?
Money – do you have the financial resources to support yourself while you make changes?
Being overwhelmed – can you organize, coordinate and manage the many elements of your daily life along with changes in your life?
Self- Doubt – do you believe you can maintain a confident, positive attitude?
Time –do you have the time to devote to the activities you need to undertake to effect change?
Energy – do you have the energy to carry on and institute the changes you want make?
Confusion – do you have a clear vision as to where you want to go next?
Discounting – are you able to remove negative and harmful elements from your life that take you off track?
Support – do you have the support of family, friends and colleagues?

These blocks plague us all from time to time and can usually be overcome. But for some they become major blocks to action.

Procrastination

Often procrastination is one of the underlying causes that turn common problems into major roadblocks. We put off taking action on what we know we want do, but usually we don’t know why we keep procrastinating. To get past our inaction, we have to track down the cause. Here are some typical reasons people procrastinate:

Fear – whether it’s fear of success, failure, or change, when we’re afraid to act, we procrastinate. Determining if the fear is realistic, and how we could handle things if our worst fears came true, can free us to take action.
Perfectionism – if our standards are unrealistic, we are likely to put off what we doubt can be accomplished. Think performance, not perfection and set reasonable standards.
Overwhelming Tasks – we need to break our goals down into shorter milestones that we can carry out successfully.
Unpleasant Tasks – change takes effort and sometimes that effort involves doing things we don’t enjoy. We have to focus on the outcome and how good we’re going to feel once we’ve made the changes that we’re seeking.
Creating Pressure to Perform – some people are motivated by crisis and pressure and procrastinate until the last minute. Motivating ourselves to meet mini-deadlines at a reasonable pace is far less stressful than doing it all in one last-ditch effort.
Waiting for the right moment – usually there is no “right moment.” If we tell ourselves we can’t get started until something else has happened, it probably won’t happen. Now is not only the right moment, it’s the only moment. Tomorrow has a way of never coming, so we must start today.
A Red Flag – sometimes procrastination is a signal that what we thought we wanted to do is not the right thing to do after all. We may need to reassess our plans.

Is procrastination holding you back? If you are avoiding important tasks, identify what you’re doing instead, and cut off your escape routes so you can discover why you’re stuck and get your show on the road.

If you think we can help, we offer counseling.

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Comments and questions on the substance of this blogs are welcome. If you have other questions about this website, please contact me directly for a consulting appointment.

The process of developing a strategy is the best way to test whether you are actually committed to a specific focus. When you know where you are, where you want to go, and the criteria you have for getting there, developing a strategy can be straightforward.

A strategy is a series of steps we can take to get from where we are now to where we want to be. Often we create strategies without knowing what we’re doing. These “de facto” strategies are reactive in nature. We respond to what’s happening to us, instead of orchestrating what will happen. Are you relying on a ‘de facto’ strategy to change your life?

The Four C’s

To chart our own course, we must consciously create a strategy that works for our situation. This requires the four C’s of creative change:

1) Comfort – knowing what you’re up for

2) Clarity – getting a clear picture of your situation

3) Creativity – being creative about your options

4) Commitment – deciding what you can actually commit to doing.

Stepping Stones

Sometimes we need to develop a strategy that provides a series of stepping-stones…a way to move step-by-step from one situation to another. Stepping-stone strategies usually include taking a variety of interim steps, like keeping a job you’re hoping to leave while studying to enter a new field.

A Helping Hand

Maybe a helping hand is needed. It may be in the form of financial aid or even assistance from a mentor. Often this strategy requires extensive preparation and planning to convince those involved that a proposed strategy will be viable.

The Flying Leap

Some of us are lucky enough to be able to take a flying leap and move directly from the old to the new life with all the planning done in advance. Rarely does this happen by chance.

What Are Your Options?

Are you ready to commit to a particular strategy? To select the best one for your situation, you need to review the strategies you’re considering in detail and imagine yourself carrying each one out. Which one feels best, is most feasible, and most likely to succeed? You can, and should, alter your strategy as you go based on your experiences.

Are you Hung Up?

In searching for a workable strategy we often run headlong into a logjam when trying to change directions. Confusion occurs when we focus on what we fear might happen, or when we over intellectualize to the point that we can’t see the options for doing anything differently. Looking at the big picture it can be hard to see the details of how we can get from one situation to another. A developed strategy gives us ideas as to how we can break the big picture down into manageable pieces. Ask yourself if you are focusing on more than you can take on all at once. Feeling overwhelmed can prevent you from developing a strategy that will get you started.

Experts Can Help

If you don’t know where to begin in breaking your goals down into a manageable strategy, there are experts that can help you… counselors, business consultants and personal coaches. The best route to finding such assistance is through personal referrals, but if you can’t find help that way, check out the web or contact us directly. We offer an initial free consultation

Once you have a strategy laid out step-by-step that you’re committed to implementing, it’s time to put your show on the road! It’s time to act, even if it’s to gather additional information or experience to help you decide on your next step. Each strategy you undertake will lead to the next one. What are you waiting for?

Comments on the substance of ths blogs are welcome. If you have other questions, please contact me directly for a consulting appointment.

Is Your Strategy on Hold?